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1 hour ago, Chrisr40 said:

Derails gave customers who have ordered an update last week

Would you mind sharing as there’s not a lot of point posting that without the actual information as it’s not an exclusive or club embargo ;) 

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Good Morning,

 

Firstly, I hope this email reaches you safe and well during these difficult times. We know that like us, some of you are in a second lockdown situation, I hope that you are staying positive whilst testing negative and of course - modelling your way through these difficult times.

 

This email is an important update regarding your pre-order for the Hornby R40141 Stephensons Rocket 3rd Class Open Coach, as there have been a few developments in the anticipated arrival of this eagerly awaited new tooling!

 

We received word today from Hornby about our allocation being lowered, we had expected this and therefore drastically undersold what we had ordered to avoid disappointment and we are glad to say this has paid off: as long as our order is not reduced further (which has never happened to us during our tenure working with Hornby), your pre-order is safe.

 

Regarding the delivery of these items, Hornby have kindly updated in this regard too. We have been informed that the delivery is currently planned to be split into two batches, a first batch due before the end of November, and a second remainder batch due during 2021 - however this second batch does not have a more firm arrival date at the time of writing.

 

We are currently unaware of how this split will occur so we can't inform you whether you will be first or second batch, but we just wanted to forewarn you that there may be a delay to your order being despatched depending on how the split occurs. We also wanted to let you know that we are prepared for this and will be processing and despatching pre-orders based on time and date of your order being placed and that only pre-orders will be taken out of any first batch models received.

 

Of course there is a chance that we won't receive any first batch models and that our entire delivery is deferred until 2021; that would be a worst case scenario for us, but of course if this does happen we will let you know as soon as possible - our plan here is to keep you fully updated to the best of our abilities.

 

Thanks very much for entrusting us with your pre-order, hopefully this update is of some use to you and if we receive any further updates, we'll be sure to pass them along as soon as possible. Many thanks!

 

Kind Regards,

Little Dan

 

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Well, I've also had an email from Hattons to say I won't be getting mine. Which is rather annoying. Is there anywere that is still has them on sale at RRP? I'm not prepared to pay over the odds to an eBay seller. 

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It’s not good is it and you do worry with at your local shop who might only order 10 will get nothing. Hornby / Corgi have been doing this for years and it frequently happened with Corgi when I had a trade account as the wholesaler told us they kept sending the stock to the US to try and get more share of that market! 
Hornby favouring their own shop over retailers may make sense in profit terms but it doesn’t really support their public image of promoting the hobby. I’ve also known retailers who got fed up with being dumped with stock they didn’t order over expected new releases, as it’s in the terms, leaving them to find more money to get new releases in on time. I see Derails have tried to compensate for this but still have no actual certainty on stock!

Come on Hornby support your local retailers as they are a lifeblood of the hobby for so many other supplies too. 
I’ve ordered my W1 from my local shop but have no real faith he will actually get it after the farce with the Pecketts and this reinforces that. :( 

It will be interesting to see if I get my coaches as he’s currently closed in lockdown. 

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39 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

Well, I've also had an email from Hattons to say I won't be getting mine. Which is rather annoying. Is there anywere that is still has them on sale at RRP? I'm not prepared to pay over the odds to an eBay seller. 

 

Seconded - just found out my order has been cancelled too!

 

I just hope Hornby commission further batches - the demand is clearly out there for them.

 

Some honesty from Hornby wouldn't go amiss (not saying they have been dishonest so far) - why accept orders from retailers if they have no intention of delivering? (Note I am fully aware that there may be circumstances beyond Hornbys control which have given rise to the situation - but if so lets hear them).

Edited by phil-b259
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2 minutes ago, darrel said:

Yep very annoying I had some on pre order now I will only get 1, everywhere else seems to be sold out. Going to have to keep my fingers crossed for a second batch

 

At least you got 1!

 

Many people are getting none at all!

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Just now, aaron3820 said:

It’s annoying seeing as I’m in Australia and had a few ordered for myself and a couple of mates to save on postage. Hopefully this second batch due 2021 allows everyone to get the coaches they want. 

 

I don't think so.

 

That second batch is not an additional one - its merely the second delivery of the first batch (i..e. 500 models split into 250 in November and 250 in 2021) leaving those who have had their orders cancelled no better off.

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7 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

 

Seconded - just found out my order has been cancelled too!

 

I just hope Hornby commission further batches - the demand is clearly out there for them.

 

Some honesty from Hornby wouldn't go amiss (not saying they have been dishonest so far) - why accept orders from retailers if they have no intention of delivering? (Note I am fully aware that there may be circumstances beyond Hornbys control which have given rise to the situation - but if so lets hear them).

Is it Hornby's fault or is it the retailers who clearly have taken more orders than models they will receive. After all its a limited of 1000? If my memory serves me correctly. 

 

Looks like all the orders have just been finalised with Hornby as Derails emailed their customers last week and now hattons (although derails clearly allowed preorders to less than what their supply is unlike hattons) 

 

This has happened before where retailers have over ordered than what their supply is going to be. Clearly something needs to change. 

Edited by Pre Grouping fan
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9 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

I just hope Hornby commission further batches - the demand is clearly out there for them.

 

I hope so, too. It's not unreasonable - they're not being advertised as a limited edition, so there's no reason not to do another production run. I supose the main question is when they can find a suitable production slot.

 

Mark

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On 11/11/2020 at 17:54, adb968008 said:

If demand is that big, maybe British Airways should buy them and put them in their duty free catalog ?

That would be wonderful, loco on its own (maybe with a small piece of display track), in a small but protective box for the travel retail market. But would it sell on its own (a display model only)? Or would it need a track/controller mini-set. Could you fit a mini set (loco and circuit of short length of track, plus controller) into a cigarette 'brick' sized package (and you would need to redesign the large brick of a transformer into something more like a phone charger)?*

There might be an argument for one to be loaded on every flight in the Club/First cabin....

 

*Have I just designed a travel-retail trainset?

 

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I must admit to ordering 2 of these "opens".

I just thought that 2 would look better than 1, in and amongst the covered carriages, behind "Rocket".

 

With reduced deliveries to retailers, retailers only really have 2 choices: -

1/ reduce all pre-orders to just 1 per order, or

2/ fulfil the orders, in full, on a first come first serve basis until stock runs out to those who ordered later.

 

There are merits in both systems and disappointment everywhere.

Each retailer will have to juggle things as best they can for their own circumstances.

 

If I get my order reduced to 1 then so be it. I don't mind if it means someone else can get one.

(Although this wont help those who clubbed together to save postage costs.)

( ( ..and guess who was the first to order from my local shop ? ) )

 

 

Kev.

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Well it appears they didn't order enough from the factory either way. 

 

I thought the announcement stated it would be a limited of 1000 but I can't find the original announcement  thread here so i could have been wrong. 

 

EDIT: found the topic, here's a screenshot of the first post saying it would be limited to 1000 

Screenshot_20201118_152509_com.android.chrome.jpg.83b0d1cfa610c3a82e9ca8146fd3e02d.jpg

Edited by Pre Grouping fan
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This situation is a familiar refrain but before piling in on Hornby can we please remember that a retailer ordering x of an item is not a guarantee that they can promise stock to customers. Saying 'we ordered x but are only getting y' is not the same as saying 'we were promised x but are only getting y'. 
Indeed the strategy being pursued favours ordering from your local retailer rather than from a box-shifter, since it is clear that the box-shifter is no longer pushed to the front of the queue by hoovering up the entire supply. 

I think the website issue is a red herring - Hornby could clearly sell a lot more direct but choose to limit sales through their own site. This is the 21st century and many customers living a long way from a Hornby dealer expect a sales facility from Hornby direct, so by selling some at full list price this way and then directing people to check their nearest stockist when the item is sold out is a reasonable balanced approach.

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So aiui, Hornby killed a perfectly viable Rails 3D model, allowing retailers to take innumerate pre-orders, but making a 1000 limited edition that wasnt enough for everyone.


As side of the competitive issue with Rails, it shouldn't be hard to manage a pre-order stock count with retailers ?

 

is it a perverse way of facing off retailers against each other and creating panic demand, which looks good on a share holder report, but ultimately is upsetting customers ?  
 

The trouble with FOMO, is if the risk is realised and you do miss out.. it runs risk of demoralisation, give up and walk away some what.. at that point the fun ceases, it becomes less fun and some start looking at the fence, you may see greener grass in other more achievable things.

 

In 3 years weve gone from price locked discounted pre-orders in advance to a pre-order becoming a lottery ticket with one Manufacturer, and a quarterly lucky dip with another.


maybe theres room for some new products.. Pre-Order guarentee and unexpected release protection insurance   ?

Edited by adb968008
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1 hour ago, andyman7 said:

This situation is a familiar refrain but before piling in on Hornby can we please remember that a retailer ordering x of an item is not a guarantee that they can promise stock to customers. Saying 'we ordered x but are only getting y' is not the same as saying 'we were promised x but are only getting y'. 
Indeed the strategy being pursued favours ordering from your local retailer rather than from a box-shifter, since it is clear that the box-shifter is no longer pushed to the front of the queue by hoovering up the entire supply. 

I think the website issue is a red herring - Hornby could clearly sell a lot more direct but choose to limit sales through their own site. This is the 21st century and many customers living a long way from a Hornby dealer expect a sales facility from Hornby direct, so by selling some at full list price this way and then directing people to check their nearest stockist when the item is sold out is a reasonable balanced approach.

I dont theres anything wrong neccessarily with the idea, but the implementation is poor.

 

They know theres 1000 to sell, if 3000 orders come in, orders can be re-allocated... it can be done in the stroke of a spreadsheet using a simple b2 = a2/3 formula. Whilst i am sure I am over simplyfing what could be an easy thing, it could have been approached better by..

a. putting a time limit to orders.

b. Rationing the supplies after the deadline of a.

 

That way months ago retailers would know where they stand and close order books earlier, instead of blissfully selling unaware.

 

if this did happen, and several retailers have gone rogue, then I accept its not Hornbys fault, but It does seem odd and those retailers seem to be unified in the finger pointing.

 

We are in christmas present season after all, and Santa not delivering as promised is the worst possible advert..

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2 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

I dont theres anything wrong neccessarily with the idea, but the implementation is poor.

 

They know theres 1000 to sell, if 3000 orders come in, orders can be re-allocated... it can be done in the stroke of a spreadsheet using a simple b2 = a2/3 formula. Whilst i am sure I am over simplyfing what could be an easy thing, it could have been approached better by..

a. putting a time limit to orders.

b. Rationing the supplies after the deadline of a.

 

That way months ago retailers would know where they stand and close order books earlier, instead of blissfully selling unaware.

 

We are in christmas present season after all, and Santa not delivering is the worst possible advert.

 

Surely, not fulfilling demand is extremely undesireable for all concerned - customer, retailer and commissioner; (Hornby, Bachmann, etc.).

 

I can only conclude that the latter companies' market research is woefully deficient, as this under-supply situation seems to be occurring more and more frequently.

 

I know that no-one wants to to end up with stock on shelves, but there seems to be a culture of over-caution when it comes to production batch commissioning.

 

John Isherwood.

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On 16/11/2020 at 21:16, Chrisr40 said:

!

 

We received word today from Hornby about our allocation being lowered, we had expected this and therefore drastically undersold what we had ordered to avoid disappointment and we are glad to say this has paid off: as long as our order is not reduced further (which has never happened to us during our tenure working with Hornby), your pre-order is safe.

 

 

2 hours ago, andyman7 said:

This situation is a familiar refrain but before piling in on Hornby can we please remember that a retailer ordering x of an item is not a guarantee that they can promise stock to customers. Saying 'we ordered x but are only getting y' is not the same as saying 'we were promised x but are only getting y'. 
 

But as Dan noted in his email above to customers for pre orders their  allocation has been lowered from the initial offer and he’s hoping not any more

 

 

Quote


Indeed the strategy being pursued favours ordering from your local retailer rather than from a box-shifter, since it is clear that the box-shifter is no longer pushed to the front of the queue by hoovering up the entire supply. 

I think the website issue is a red herring -

Sadly my local didn’t get the full allocation he was offered on the Pecketts or the Rocket sets so it’s not guaranteed at the small shops either. He managed to fulfill the Pecketts by swapping models with another local store as each got one type of Peckett but not of others.
They are left with the option, like Dan, of ordering the full allocation but only taking orders for part of it because on experience they don’t get what Hornby offer them.


Hornby are offering the shops this and subsequently lowering allocations, it’s not just box shifters being optimistic and taking orders over their allocation. 
It’s something Hornby can easily sort out by only offering stock that is actually available for allocation. If like Rails then stopping dealing with them that stock can be offered on top to shops. 
 

I have ordered mine direct on these because of the Rails fiasco where they sold out the pre order on Hornby before telling me they’d cancelled my order for their version. It remains to be seen whether I get my direct Hornby order reduced . .

 

This pushes people to ordering direct rather than from their local shop if you expect to be let down when they don’t get all they were told they had been allocated on popular models. 
I understand the economics of that but it’s still poor to muck retailers around saying you have an allocation of X in July, taking orders, then months later in November reducing that allocation. 

 

That is Hornby not the shops end of the deal. 

Edited by PaulRhB
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If Hornby Hornby plan to make 1000 models and the pre orders exceed that by a large amount as would seem to be the case here why does Hornby not think "oh we should make more!" If they have 2000 pre orders from the public and the trade, then make 2000 and make more money. 

The NHS class 66 is a case in point where it was supposed to be limited to 500 models and ended up as a lot more. 

Do you find other sectors doing this, if I order a new phone I expect to get it not be told sorry we have sold them all so we are not going to make more. Do heinz stop making tomato ketchup because it is selling well? No it makes little sense. If a model is so popular that you have a greater demand than expected make more.

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